BoyxBoy Fluff Oneshots

Comfort

Following Jackson, my best friend and, unbeknownst to him, the target of my 3 year crush, down the hall to our fifth period class, I can't help but feel that there's something bothering him. We keep up our usual banter all the way to class, but his head seems to be somewhere else. We take our seats near the back of the class, him one seat down and to my left. I find myself glancing over at him more than I usually do, and I tend to look at him a lot. I can't seem to focus on the lesson, my mind's sole focus on trying to determine what's up with Jackson.

50 minutes pass in a flash, and I soon find myself staring into gorgeous emerald orbs flecked with gold.

"Alex, are you planning on sitting there all day? The bell rang." I look around and, just as Jackson said, the room is empty.

"Oh, sorry." I quickly pack my stuff up and we head to the cafeteria, find our usual table, and sit with our friends. Jake and Matt seem to be in the middle of a heated argument about the proper way to eat a banana. Kyle and Ashton just listen, occasionally interjecting with their opinions. Usually Jackson would be more than happy to join the debate, but he just eats in silence with his head down, popping in earbuds, essentially shutting us out. I'm seriously starting to get worried. I don't have any more classes with Jackson until 8th period, which is our last, and the only thing concerning me until then is what could have happened to my best friend. I'm totally at a loss.

It's five minutes until the end of last period when I decide to actually do something about my concern. I discreetly pull out my phone, keeping my eyes on the teacher so she doesn't suspect anything, and shoot him a text asking if he wants to come over to my house later after he's done with football practice. He responds a second later with a simple, "sure".

It's around 5:40 when I hear the doorbell ring, and rush downstairs. I open the door and step aside to let Jackson in. "Did practice let out early? I didn't expect you here for at least another half hour."

"No, I asked coach if I could leave early and, with some convincing, he let me go." He says while taking his coat and shoes off. If you thought my level of unease was already high, it just grew exponentially. Jackson never, and I mean never, leaves practice early. Usually he stays later than the others to get some extra work in. "Hey, Alex, do you have any soda?" A voice calls from the kitchen. I make my way over and see him rummaging through the cabinets.

"Um, let me look. Why don't you set up that new Xbox game you got me for my birthday." I tell Jackson while grabbing a root beer for me and a Sprite for him.

"Ok." He says while walking away.

I glance over at him to see him holding a picture. I walk up behind him and hand him his Sprite while looking over his shoulder to get a closer look. He's holding the picture taken of our families at this old diner place.

"This was at your Mom's birthday, right? I remember your uncle telling us that one story about the pig and..." I trail off, seeing his knuckles turning white with how hard he's gripping the frame. "Uh, are you alright?" I get no response. Jackson just puts the picture down and starts to head into the living room. I follow him and we sit down on the couch, putting our drinks on the coffee table.

"Ok, Jackson, you've been acting really strange today. No one else seemed to have noticed, but we've been best friends for 17 years and I know you well enough to be able to tell when something's bothering you. We've always been super close and told each other everything. You came to me 3 years ago when your girlfriend cheated on you, and I was there to help you through it." Thus began my hopeless crush on you, I thought bitterly, but continued, "I supported you when you needed me then, so let me do the same now. Jackson, please, tell me what's wrong." I finish and look at him, waiting for his response.